STOP BUYING FILAMENT BULBS-ZCSA warns

 

In a bid to save energy Zambia compulsory Standards (ZCSA) has disclosed that it will soon start sensitizing people on the need to switch to energy saving bulbs.

This is because filament Bulbs draw large units of power and they spend nearly ninety percent of the power drawn in the form of heat.

Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency Head of Communications Brian Hatyoka says there are in the process of engaging Energy Regulation Board to ensure that all the filament bulbs are banned and not found on the market.

“We are in the process of working with the energy Regulation Board to ensure that all the filament bulbs are not found on the market," He said.

He said ZCSA wants to sensitize the public to stop using the filament bulbs because there are not good to the public.

"We want to sensitize the public because we have seen alot of ignorance, people are still using filament bulbs which were banned in 2016, there is a Zambian standards ZS432 which talks about filament bulbs that there are not supposed to be on the market.

A statutory instrument No.74 of 2016, which was issued by then ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Hon Margaret Mwanakatwe, banned the local manufacturing, importation and sale of Incandescent Bulbs in Zambia,"He said.

Mr Hatyoka said the government has been encouraging people on the need to use energy saving bulbs saying energy saving bulbs produces 80% light and 20 % heat and filament bulbs produces 80% heat and 20 % light.

Mr Hatyoka said it is unfortunate that some super markets are still selling filament bulbs even after government banned them on the market.

He has warned trades not to sale filament bulbs saying should ZCSA find them in the super markets and retail Markets they will withdraw them and destroy them.

He has also disclosed that from January 2023 to date ZCSA has ceased over 2 thousands filaments bulbs in Lusaka and others provinces.

Meanwhile a trader in Misisi Compound Maria Daka has regretted selling the filament bulbs saying people are refusing to buy them.

"People are refusing to buy the filament bulbs saying there are not good bulbs and they produce too much heat,” I will not stock them in my shop because people are refusing to buy them and that they get destroyed so fast and draw too much heat," She noted.

And a customer in Misisi Compound going by the name of Anna Banda said she has stopped buying filament bulbs because they consume alot of energy especially with the current hotness the country is experiencing.

She said filament bulbs draw large units of power and they spend a lot of power drawn in the form of heat.

"The filament glows because of the heat and it wastes alot of electricity especially that the Zambian electricity company increased the electricity tariffs i need to save the energy," She added.

Some traders in Misisi have gotten ZCSA message on the disadvantages of filament bulbs but some other areas it’s a different situation such as kanyama, Mutendere,kalingalinga and Johnlaing people are still comfortable on buying the filament bulbs because there are cheap and produce too much right as well as heat especially that it will be getting cold with the coming of rains.

There is need for ZCSA to sensitize more to the public especially in this areas mentioned or put up bill boards in local languages so that people can understand the dangers of buying filament bulbs.